I am 22 days post surgery, I had vaginoplasty with Dr. Brassard on March 1st.
I have been home since March 9th.
Everything went well during recovery at Asclepiade.
Since coming home everything seems fine, I have sent some photos to the nurses and they say everything looks good.
But I am still concerned because there seems to be a blob of stuff along the inside edge of the labia minora and around the clitoral hood. Is this still blood clot because it doesn't look red or brown, kind of greyish really.
Is this stuff going to eventually fall off in the bath or should I be coaxing it out at all.
Just wondering about others experience with cleaning during the aftercare period.
Thanks for any advice.
I didn't touch mine at all and it eventually fall off on it's own. Just keep with the schedule sitz and air dry the area.
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Quote from: jfong on March 22, 2017, 06:46:41 PM
I didn't touch mine at all and it eventually fall off on it's own. Just keep with the schedule sitz and air dry the area.
That is what I was thinking.
The guide book says at 8 weeks you can touch the clitoris so I didn't think disturbing anything before then anyway.
Thank you
Np 😊. Also if you are interested in joining Dr B patients facebook group feel free to send me a msg.
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I went to Brassard as well, and I followed their instructions (which boiled down to basically "don't mess with anything until 8 weeks," so it sounds like more or less what you got). I cleaned the dilators in hibiclens, did the sitz baths, and rinsed things without touching in the shower, and it worked out fine; there's all sorts of gunk in there for the first few weeks, and that's normal.
They probably told you what to look for in terms of infection, so as long as you don't see any of those signs or symptoms, you can probably assume that healing is gross but proceeding normally. :)
Thank you both, this is reassuring.
See you on Facebook.
xxx
I had mine done by Dr Rashid, I had a yellowy layer inside my inner labia that I was worrying about until one day part of it was hanging out of me on a partially dissolved suture and the rest came off in the shower later on!
Quote from: El on March 23, 2017, 06:47:00 AM
I had mine done by Dr Rashid, I had a yellowy layer inside my inner labia that I was worrying about until one day part of it was hanging out of me on a partially dissolved suture and the rest came off in the shower later on!
Thank you El.
That stuff seems to be dissolving a little at a time.
Right now it looks more yellow and kind of gooey.
I dab it with a cloth and it comes of a bit.
I send pictures to the nurses and they say it is fine.
Probably some day soon a big blob will come off in the bath or shower like yours.
I was worried earlier because it was nastier looking but now it looks way better.
Thanks to everyone for your response on this! xxx
the grayish/yellowish matter inside the vagina is scabbing from the skin graft of the vaginal walls healing itself.
It will shed and fall out on its own.
the grayish/yellowish matter inside the vagina is scabbing from the skin graft of the vaginal walls healing itself.
It will shed and fall out on its own.
Thanks for the advice!
I think it is dissolving slowly during the baths.
The new concern is that the labia minora texture along the edge feels a bit hard to the touch.
I am assuming this is the stitches and scabbing also?
I am very reluctant to touch much of anything until the 8 week mark as per the instructions.
Quote from: VivianJane on April 11, 2017, 11:56:16 AM
the grayish/yellowish matter inside the vagina is scabbing from the skin graft of the vaginal walls healing itself.
It will shed and fall out on its own.
Thanks for the advice!
I think it is dissolving slowly during the baths.
The new concern is that the labia minora texture along the edge feels a bit hard to the touch.
I am assuming this is the stitches and scabbing also?
I am very reluctant to touch much of anything until the 8 week mark as per the instructions.
the texture along the labia is probably scarring, stitches, scabbing. It will all fade and soften as time progresses. Be patient. I have the same thing going on.
This sharing is important to me! I only had my surgery on Monday. I have all this to work through!
Quote from: islandgirl on April 13, 2017, 08:23:35 PM
This sharing is important to me! I only had my surgery on Monday. I have all this to work through!
You had your surgery already?
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yes, April 10!
Oh wow congrats...
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I heard they changed the technique.... it's deeper now and they only make you use the green and orange one ... lucky you
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well, I will see as dilations start tomorrow.
How is everything islandgirl :)
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All is going OK! The schedule drives my days. The inflammation is what is causing me grief. I phoned the centre and spoke to one of the nurses. It seems all is normal. It is hard to believe that I am coming up to three weeks post surgery! I do get out at least once a day. Loneliness is an issue for me. I have no one who understands what I am going through. A nurse from Trans Care BC connects with me each week and she has referred me to my local Community Care nurses.
Quote from: islandgirl on April 28, 2017, 09:31:25 PM
All is going OK! The schedule drives my days. The inflammation is what is causing me grief. I phoned the centre and spoke to one of the nurses. It seems all is normal. It is hard to believe that I am coming up to three weeks post surgery! I do get out at least once a day. Loneliness is an issue for me. I have no one who understands what I am going through. A nurse from Trans Care BC connects with me each week and she has referred me to my local Community Care nurses.
I'm glad everything is healing well :) and 3 weeks already? Went by quick!
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It is hard to believe that it has already been that long! Won't belong until I can move to 2 month schedule!
Hey Island girl,
So you are back home from Montreal and now into your routine, yes it does drive your days for the first month at least.
I am just coming to the end of month two and because I stay very strictly to the program and perhaps even more.
I do a shower or bath after each dilation session even now when it isn't called for. Got so used to doing it in month one anyway.
Inflammation and swelling will be an issue for many weeks yet but it does get better as the swelling goes down.
Keep the ice pack happening at least for the first month and air dry really long and well to help with the healing.
By week four since returning home you will be feeling probably quit better and then by week six, even better so hang in there.
Send pictures to the nurses at Asclepiade whenever you can, don't wait for them to inquire if you have a concern.
Probably you have some redness and tenderness along the stitches of the labia, also at the bottom of the V.
I just learned that the redness inside the labia minora will be there for months and pink after a year so don't worry about the appearance.
I can empathize with you about being lonely and nobody to talk to who knows what this is like.
I live out in the country and so its lonely to begin with anyway.
I think it is very normal to feel upset and confused a bit because of everything. I feel a lot more settled now about having surgery.
There is so much focus at first on just feeling physically okay.
I have committed myself to putting my recovery first for the full three months since I am able to do that.
Also I have decided to get the stress out of my life and finally got off Facebook which is a major source.
I have to leave this place too because I am just so done with trans forums.
I need to live my life figure it out on my own and make it up as I go along.
Wishing you the very best in your recovery, you are probably doing fine already if you are not in agony.
Most people get through this.
Oh and the results at 8 weeks looks pretty amazing already with everything looking like it is healing.
The nurses say it all looks normal judging from the photos.
Best to you again XXX
Wow! Thank you Vivian Jane for the support! I have not done the pictures yet as I find taking a picture difficult. I guess I am to much a private person. I know that I need to do do. The nurses at Trans Care BC also made the request. I will have to get it together, be brave, and snap a couple of pictures this week. Pain is not an issue for me. I am more concerned with getting my 'stream' in better form. I am not enjoying the nozzle spray that causes me to get wet. The nurses have all told me this is normal and will change as inflammation lessens. I have been very conscientious about my dilation schedule. I have also gotten out of the house each day, usually by myself. Three weeks tomorrow! Early days. Onward I go! Thanks again for caring! Hugs
Yea I'm 7 month and the inside of the minora/hood is still a bit red and oral sex is very sensitive
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Quote from: islandgirl on April 30, 2017, 09:58:22 AM
Wow! Thank you Vivian Jane for the support! I have not done the pictures yet as I find taking a picture difficult. I guess I am to much a private person. I know that I need to do do. The nurses at Trans Care BC also made the request. I will have to get it together, be brave, and snap a couple of pictures this week. Pain is not an issue for me. I am more concerned with getting my 'stream' in better form. I am not enjoying the nozzle spray that causes me to get wet. The nurses have all told me this is normal and will change as inflammation lessens. I have been very conscientious about my dilation schedule. I have also gotten out of the house each day, usually by myself. Three weeks tomorrow! Early days. Onward I go! Thanks again for caring! Hugs
It should correct itself... mine still sprays sometimes then sometimes it's a straight stream... but overall it actually looks pretty
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Thanks Jujubes. My stream is already better at over 5 weeks. Swelling is slowly going down. Being able to cut out one dilation keeps things cleaner for longer. Started vitamin E cream on suture lines. Can't see much change but who would at this stage. I think that my discharge is a little less and that keeps whole area cleaner. Hugs
Quote from: islandgirl on May 19, 2017, 11:34:40 AM
Thanks Jujubes. My stream is already better at over 5 weeks. Swelling is slowly going down. Being able to cut out one dilation keeps things cleaner for longer. Started vitamin E cream on suture lines. Can't see much change but who would at this stage. I think that my discharge is a little less and that keeps whole area cleaner. Hugs
I wear panty liner daily
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OK ladies, it's time we start referring to all the gunk, ooze, junk, slough, yellowish stuff etc...what it is.
*/drum roll please...
It's called Exudate ;D
An exudate is any fluid that filters from the circulatory system into lesions or areas of inflammation. It can be a pus-like or clear fluid. When an injury occurs, leaving skin exposed, it leaks out of the blood vessels and into nearby tissues. The fluid is composed of serum, fibrin, and white blood cells. Exudate may ooze from cuts or from areas of infection or inflammation.
In other words, it's the stuff that your body expels from all of the inflammation in and around the wound.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exudate
http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2006/september/White/Modern-Exudate-Mgt.html
VivianJane,
I didn't go to Brassard, but I can empathize with your post. Cheers to the road ahead. :)
Quote from: jujubes1986 on May 19, 2017, 11:35:19 AM
I wear panty liner daily
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I do too, and probably will for quite a while to come!